Apparatus for target practice



July 5, 1932. M. WIEDECK 1,865,933

APPARATUS FOR TARGET PRACTICE Filed Aug. 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Java/afar Patented July 11932 I V A w nnmcx.

mama-mm s t I Aria!earns ronrenderrmlocrrcn--* Application filed August 15,4231,- Serial No.-

jThis invention relates to apparatus for "target practice of the kind in which a tar et mounted-in a working. position of unstable ,equilibriumo 'may be caused to topple by im- 5; pact fof'a shot impinging thereon, the apparatus comprising means for mechanically restoring the target tojits working position. The invent-ion has for its object toprovide certain improvementsdn apparatus of 10. this character as are hereinafter described 'and more particularly defined .in theqappended claims. a p v i p i 1 A-preferredform of;construction of the ka'pparatus according to the invention is il lalustrated in the drawings, in which: y:

Fig.1-il1llStI'fitBS a plan View, d I

.. Fig. 2 is a section accordingtotheline IIII seen in the direction of the arrow,

. Fig. 3 is a section, according to the line IIIII I of arrow, I Fig. 4-1 is a plan view otthe drop catch,; I V Figs. 5 to 8-are sections corresponding to Fig. 2, the apparatus being in various work ing and intermediate positions, and

-, .Fig. .9 is a-fron't view.

Fig. l in the .direction of the Referring to .the drawings, the apparatus is mounted ongabase plate .1 provided with "fixing holes. 2 through which pegs or the like can -For higher and heavier targets whichearej usually nailed to a woodenlath; a clamping assembly on the backoi thecarrierJSis-provided comprising members 9 between which the lath can be inserted, a"clan1pplate"11-andclamp'nuts 10; "A'setscrew 13 mounted on' a bracket 12 secured tothe base 'platese'rvesf.

5 as an adjustable stop ior preventing the'ta'rget falling backwards; to' the lowaX'is of rotation and the high centre of'gravity'of the t arget carrier assembly the target in the upright position is in. a statejof bnstable The other lever arlntprojects underthe carrieroand is provided at itsfend witlrarec- ,tially. IVerticaIQ Thus itfiwill be appreciated:

operating screws 7 for securing a target- 8 in.

-1 161ds the level gajagaipst the st p31';

557,402, andiin'lG'ermany Deceinber 19, 1 930 I equilibriuni "and :hasdthetendency to I topple ffcrward'into the posit on shown in 1g. '6. Near one, end of the target carrier 511s situated a drop catch16 -;.pivotallylmounted,

by a rotatable pin 15,':on a bracket 14 fixed to the basefplate The catch 16 isf constructed as a double-armed lever and is fulcrumed at a point suchthat it tends to assurne the .posivtion indicated inFigs eandfiwith ome -d,

ingcontactwith the base plate 1. Tphe lever arm. remoteifromjthe; target. carriers is. ,7 formed with an upwardly :cu-rved portion 17 for a purpose hereinafter, to be'udescribed.

tangular recess-IS and slot 19fhavingan oblique wallQO on the sidenea-rest pivot 15. L o.cated above the recess 18 and-fixed to the target" carrier ,5. isa guide' segment 21 having an arcuate slotf22 and aneccentric 0 I outer guide surfaelze which is discontinued at'2t to formfa shoulder which, when thecatch ill6 is raised into thepositions acco ding to F 2. 7 and 8', bearspagainstjthetransverse edge ofthe recess l8 wanna to the tendency of the targetto fallfforwardholds the drop catch 16in the i'aised positi'on,'there I, by locking the target carrier inthe working position, i. eiwherethe'itarget 8 is substan that the system is inlan 'unstable' state of equilibrium and that 'consequently lai' sli'ght. percussion of 1 the; ,"target will I dislodge the drop catch 16, thereby permitting the target to fall forward. To allow of adjustment'for sensitivity," thereis provided a small set screw 25 mounted in a lateral projection26 on. the segment .21, which screw, in the locking position, bears against the upper sideof the catch .16,as shown in Fig.,8.; I e The i mechanisrnf for restoring thetarget to the working positioni s shown in Fig. 1 and comprises aJ-striking rod27 resiliently and pivotally connected at one. end to a lever '29 JD as ,atj28; This' lever -is "fulcruined; jintermediate itsends on a vertical pin 30 secured to the base pla t eil and islimited' in its movement fbytwo' verticalstopsgl and 32. A spring 33, fixed at one end to a 111 34. on the base plate,

The rod 27 is provided with a pin 36 which rides in the arcuate slot 22 of the segment 21. On the pin 36 is freely pivoted a pawl 35 which engages with the; slot 19 when the. target is upright and the target carrier locked by the drop catch 16. -At thepin joint at 28, the rod 27 can'm'ove vertically away from thelever 29 against theaction' of a spring 37 which normally retains these parts in contact. Projecting laterally from therod 27 or is a small pin 38 which moves into engage ment with" the upper surface of the --curved- 7 portion 17 of the drop catch when the lever 29 is rotated in aclockwise'direction. Such movement causes the drop; catch 16 to be "raised, 'or' if this-should not be possible, it causes the rod 27 to execute a yielding movement against the action of the spring 37.

The free end of-the lever 29 can be-confnected to any. suitable operating means for re-erecting thetarget. For instance, a rope attached to the levermay be connected with a 'winch arranged'behincl the apparatus; If

i operates as follows; 'Assuming the apparatus tb i the workingiposition with the ,target locked in an upright position by the necessary, severali ndividual apparatus can be. simultaneously connected to this "winch. The apparatus according to l' lIlSilIlVBllilOil shoulder 24: hearing again'stthe drop catch 16, the impact: ofia shot impinging squarely" :on the target. in thevdirection ofthe' adj ustin lever' 29, such as would result'from a-bull s eye shot, causes'the shoulder 24; to become disengaged from the'dropcatch 16 so that both "the target anddrop catch are released. The

"forward end of the latter dr ops'down'on 'to thebase fpl ateljand the target," topples for ward and disappears from the view of the marksman. The arrangementfof the parts in position is shown in Fig'. .6. The pin36 carrying the pawl 35moves, 1n thlscase, to

the frontend ofthe guide slot In order T to restore the target '8 to the} upright position", the lever 29 is moved in thedirection of V the-arrow shown in Fig; 1 against theraction 'of the spring'f83 into the ,extreme'posit on where itbears'against the stop 32and is then released to return it to .its' original position against the stop 8L Figs. 6, 7 and S respective'ly'show therelative positions of theparts of thejapparatu's at different stages o f'the resto'ringoperation. The movement toward the stop 32 displacesthe rod 27 longitudinal- V ly, causing the target and carrier to be raised i since the pin 36'attached to the rod27- is hard'upagainst the forward endof the slot- 22. I On: displacement of the rod 27, the pin 38' engages the humped portion .17 wof-the drop j catch 16"and depresses same, so that the forward or locking end-of the catch is lifted i 'and'held against the guide surface 23 of the segment21 which rotateswiththe carrier'z'i.

This position is' sh own in Fig, 7.- 'Dueto the eccenmeay ofthesurface 23, the locking end of the drop catch tends to be forced downwards again, but this tendency is resisted by the pin 38 bearing on the portion 17 of the drop catch. However, some lifting of the connecting endof the rod 27 takes place along the pivot Vpin 28 against the actionofthe springS'Z, as is indicated in Fig. 7. This'ensures thatthe drop catch 16 will spring up'into locking engagement with the shoulder 241' when the rod 27 hasbeen displaced to its extreme forward position by movement of the lever ,29to bear against the stop 32. On returning the lever 29 to its original position, 1. e. the position shown in Fig. 1, the

2, the target may be caused to topple "independently of a shot striking it, by moving the lever 29 a short distance towards the stop 32. -Ref'er'ri'ng to the'figure the point of the pawl 35 is located directly near the oblique wall 200i" the slot 19 of thedropj catch. If the lever'29 is now rotated towards stop'32, the pin 36 of" the pawl 35'moves downwards'along the arcuate'slot 22 and'the point of the pawl enters-the slot 19, so that I its back bears on the oblique wall 20-and' its point bears against the vertical wall of the slot; Thus a downward pressure is exerted on the locking'end' of the" drop catch 16, thereby disengaging the latter, by its recess 18,

from the shoulder 24' of the segment 21', re-' sulting in the movement of-the parts into the positionshown; in Figz-G, the target having 7 toppled. This operation is completed without the pin 38 on the rod 27 reaching the part '17 of the drop catch The target may be re -erected by rotating the" leverl29 further,

to the stop 32, to make contact between the pin 38 and part 17, the subsequent operation of the'various parts being as above described. I'claim i 1. Apparatus for target practicecomprising in combinationatarget' carrier rotatable about alfixed horizontal axis between a working'and anon-working position, locking ,means for retaining said carrier in the work ing POSltlOIL and adapted. to be rendered inoperative to permit saidcarrier to rotate into the non worlnng position andm'eans ior. re-

storing said carrier tothe working position and for renderlng said lockingmea-ns op erative, said restoring, means including an actuating member and means controlled by said memberj for I automatically rendering said locking means inoperative.

' 2. Apparatus for target'practice comprising in combination'a target carrier rotatable about a fixed horizontal axis between "workj ing j and" a non-working "p osit'1on,j l0ck1ng means for retaining'saidcarrier in the working position and adapted to be renderedin- Operative to permit said carrier I to rotate into the non-workingposition and means for i restoring said carrier to the: working position and for rendering said locking means 1 operative, sa-id restdring means including an actuating member, 'meanscontrolle'd by said member for automaticallyrendering said locking means inoperativeand means for preventing the motion of said carrier rotating into thenon-working position 'being eonn ."municated to said actuating member.

ing incoi'nbination a target carrier rotatable abouta fixed l'lOIlZOlllIEL-l'tXlS between workmember fixed to saidzcarrier and-[rotatable 1 3. Apparatus for target practice: comprising and a non-'\vorkingposition, 'a"rat'chet therewithy a pawl member associated with I said ratchet member butnormally' outof e'ngagement therewith, a push rod operatii 'ely connected with said earrierand adapted to Y restorethe'latter to the working position,

nieans' operated by displacementof said rod for bringing saidpawl member intolocking engagement with said ratchet member, and means provided 'on' said push rod ad aC-ent saidcarrier ,for'disengaging' said pawl mem-1 in'gin combination a target carrier rotatable provided on said pushrod adjacent said car i'ierfor disengaging saidpawl member from 'ber fromsaid ratchet member to permit said carrier rotating into thenon-work ngposb tio'n, said means being operable'o'nlyduring the initial displacement towards said earrier of said push rod.

4. Apparatus for targetpractice comprisab out a fixed horizontal'axis between a workingand a non-Workingposition, aratchet member fixed to said carrier and rotatable therewith, a pawlmemben associated with said ratchet member to permit said carrier rotating into the non-Working position, said Working position being communicated to able abouta fixedhorizontal axis between a' jtially'horizontal position,*ineansfor locking Cil means being operableionlyduring the ini--: tial displacement towards said carrier'of said push rod,'and means for preventing the mo; tion of said carrier rotating into the non-- said push rod. 7 Y 1 p 5. Apparatus fontarget practice co'mprising a target, a ca T161 for said-target rotatsubstantially vertical position and a substanl said carrierand target in the verticalposi inoperative to permit said carrier to rotate into the horizontal position andmeans for-res storing {said} carrier to the vertical position and renderi-ng'saidlocking ineans'op'erative to retain Saidcarrier-in the i ertical position, said restoring ineanscompr-ising i'n'combination a push rod having a limitedlongitudinal movement,'a guide pin atthe end of said rod adj acent' said carrier, an fareuate guide 1 slot mounted on said carrier and rotatable-them with, an abutment on saidguide slot for said; a guide pin,a shoulder o i'said g'ii1deslot,"an o unbalanced double-armed lever fulcrumed to a fixedpivot and comprising a heavy arm and a light arm, ad'e tent on the heavy arm of said'lever', me ans for displacing said rod longit-u dinally toi-restoie said carrier to the vertical position and means operable on displacement "O-f'snld push r'odfor bringing said shoulder anddetent into-locking engagement.

" 6. Apparatus for target pra'ctice comprisiii g a" "target, a carrier for: said target rotatableab'out a fixed'horizo-n'ta'l axis between a substantialiy'vertical petition-wide substan-' ti ally horizontal position, means for locking sa d carrier and targetin th'e vertical position said nieans being. adapted to be rendered tion said means being adapted tdbe rendered :7

inoperative to permit said carrier to rotate into the horizontal position and-means for restoringsaid carrier to the vertical position and rendering said locking means operative to retain said carrier iii/tire vertical pos'ition,

said restoring means comprising in combination apush rod liavinga l mited longitudinal with, an abutment on said guide slot forfsaid guide 'pin, a shoulder "on said guide slot,an unbalanced double' arined lever-fulcrumed to a fixed pivot and comprising-aheavy arm and a light arm, adet-ent onthe heavy} arm of saidlever, means for-displacing said rod longitudinally to restore said carrier to the vertical' position, means operable on displac'einentof' said push rod for'brin'gin'g said shoulder and'detent nto looking engagement, a pawl pivoted to'theguide pin on .fsaid rod m movement, guidejpin'at the end of saidrod ad acentsaid carrier, an arenatef guideslot mounted onsaid carrier and rotatable thereand a stop on the h'eavi'ei" arm of said Every saidpawl' being 'ada'ptedto' be' b'rought into i engagement with saidstop' on initial diss placementofsaid rod in the locking position of the apparatus to forcethe detent' on said 5 lever out of engagement with'the' shoulder oil-saidguide slot and thereby permits'aid' carrier'and target torotate into thehorizontal po'sition. p i

7. Apparatu for target practicecomprisii g ata'rget earrierrotatable about a fixed horizontal axis bet-Ween a substantially ver itical position and a substantially horizontal position, a guide segment fixed to and rotatable with said carrier and provided with n i an arcuat'e slotand an eccentric outer'guide sunface having a shoulder near the ;middle ith'ereof, ahorizontal push rod connected .at

one end to .an operating lever, .a ,pin fixed :to :the other-end of said ;push .rod' and projecting through and slidable" freely along .said arcuate' slot, an unbalanced double-armed lever comprising a heavy arm and a light arm disposed alongside but below .said push rod with its heavy arm below andnormally clear 1ofisaid iguide segment,said heavy arm -being adapted when raised to engage with and be held'by the shoulder on said guide iii segment when said target carrier is vertical, .-an,d;means';actuated by said push rodto lift :saidgheavzy arm into contact with said guide ;-.segment.

- 8..Apparatus; ford-target practice comprising :a itar'get lcarrier rotatable "about .a .fixed I .horizontal .a-xisbetween asubstantially vertical position and a substantially horizontal gposition, a guide segment fixed Ito androtatable with said carrier and provided with an ,arcuate .slot and an eccentric outer guide 'zsurface havin a shoulder near-the middle sthereof a horlzontal push'rod connected at oneend to an operating lever, a pin fixed to the other end of saidjpush rod' andproj'eoting through and s'lidable freely along said .arcuate slot, an unbalanced double garmedtlever comprising a heavy arm and a light arm disposed alongside but below said pushrod with itsheavy arm belowand normallyrclear ofsaid .guide segment, said heavy arm being adapted when raised-to engage swithandibe held by the shoulder on said igguidesegment when-said tar-get carrier is vertical, meansactuated by said push rod to lift xsaid heavy arm into contact with said guidesegment, a pawl pivoted .on said push rodandznormally hanging freely downwards therefrom, a lateral extension on. said heavy arm and having, a slot therein, the free end ofsaid pawl when said heavy arm is-in contact with said guide segment being adapted ;to engage said slot to force said heavy arm' and .said shoulder out of engagement and 7 the horizontal position.-

thereby perm it said carrierto rotate into 9. Apparatus for target practice.compris- .ing a target carrier rotatable about afixed :horizontalaxis between a substantially ver- 7 .tical positionand-asubstantially horizontal position,---'a gui'de segment fixed to and I0- .tatable with said carrier andprovided with an :arcuate slot and an eccentric outer guide surface having a shoulder near, the middle thereof, .a horizontal push rod connected at one endto an operating lever, a pinfixed to the other end of said push ..rod and proj ecting through-and s'lidable freely along-said ,:arcuajte slot, an unbalanced double-armed :levercomprising-a.;heavy arm and a curved :lig'htarm disposedalongside but below said.

push rod with its heavyarm below and -.nor-

kmally cclear of said guideflqsegment, said.

guide segment.

:heavy :arm being adapted when raised .to engage with and be :held by .the shoulder :on said guide segment whensaid target carrier is vertical, ..a projection on .said push .rod

adapted on imovementithereof towards .said carrier to contact-with the upper surface of said curved arm andthereby. depressthe .same

.toliftsaidheavy arm into contact with said 10. .Apparatus fortarget practice comprising a itargetzcarrier rotatable betweena substantially =verticalgposition and. asubstantially horizontal position, a.horizontal pushzrod, an .unbalanced double-armed lever comprising a heavy-arm and a light arm,.aibase plate having vsaid carrier, push rod .and lever mounted-thereon with .said lever disposed alongside but belowsaid push rod, means connecting one end of said push rod with said carrier and-adapted to provide-alimited relative movementbetween said pushrod'and carrier longitudinallyof said push rod,.said heavy arm when raised beingadapted to .00-

act withisaidconnectingymeans and .form a catch for retaining said {carrier in :the vertical position, a projection at the :other end of said push-rod and adapted ,to.contact, with the lighter arnrof saidilever and :depressthe same/to raisetheheavyarm-of said lever into its operativefposition, and means at .the end of said push .rod remote from said projection oper'atively engaging with said heavy arm only when the latter .is raised to release .said

catch, thereby permitting said heavy arm to fall and said targetflcarrier :toprotate .into

the horizontal position.

7 11. In apparatus for target practice, the combination of a target carrier mounted-on a fixed :horizontal axis and displaceable to one .sideof a mean vertical positionsaiddisplacement being limited by .astop and also rotatable on the other side of :said :mean vertical position betweensaidposition and asubstan- 'tiallyrhorizonta lposition,,aishoulder-carried bysaid'target carrier and :adaptedto execute the -movemen ts:of .the same, a freely pivoted lever adapted when said carrier is in said mean vertical position toengage said shoulder and form a catch, whereby :on said carrier being; moved into-contact with said stop. said heavy arm and shoulder zare brought out of engagement to permit. said; carrier to rotate lbackzthrough said mean vertical .position into said horizontal position, and a ;push;rod for returning said carrier :to said -mean vertical position and adapted fore-automatically. raising .said :lever into locking engagement with :said shoulder in proper time sequence'to Ireable on the other side of said mean vertical position between said position and a substantially horizontal position, a shoulder carried by said target carrier and adapted to execute 6 the movements of the same, a freely pivoted lever adapted when said carrier is in said mean vertical position to engage said shoulder and form a catch, whereby on said carrier being moved into contact with said 10 stop said heavy arm and shoulder are brought out of engagement to permit said carrier to rotate back through said mean vertical position into said horizontal position, a push rod for returning said carrierto said mean vertical position and adapted for automatically raising said lever into locking engagement with said shoulder in proper time sequence to retain said target carrier in said mean vertical position, a spring for returning said :0 push rod to its normal inoperative position, and means operative when said catch is made and actuated by movement. of said push rod against said spring for dislodging said lever to permit said target carrier to rotate into the horizontal position.

13. Apparatus as defined by claim 9, in which the push rod is connected to the operating lever by resilient means permitting of slight relative motion vertically. $0 In testimony whereof I have hereunto aifixed my signature.

MAX WIEDECK. 

